BROOMFIELD -- Garrett Seitz is the prime example of why things happen for a purpose.

When the former Broomfield soccer standout was pondering his collegiate options, quite honestly, Regis University wasn't even on his radar. It wasn't until longtime family friend and Broomfield club coach Tony McCall took the head coaching position at the school that Seitz knew that he would play for the Rangers.

"He contacted me and I started looking at the school," Seitz said. "I just had faith and trusted him as a coach and I knew that he was capable of great things. I followed him because he is a good guy and he knows what he is doing and he could make our team good.

"The first four years here have been pretty successful and I don't regret my decision."

And why should he? In addition to the success on the field, Seitz has been equally as impressive in the classroom and he was just named the 2013 Summit Award recipient -- an award given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing in the RMAC championship tournament.

"Garrett has helped me build this program from where we were when I came in and he took a chance coming with me," McCall said, "and I think that we repaid him a little bit. He's been a big part of what we are doing."

The list of accolades doesn't stop there. In 2013 alone, the Rangers defender, who will graduate in May with a biology degree, has also been named to the All-RMAC third team, the RMAC All-Tournament team, the CoSIDA Capital One All-Region squad and the RMAC Academic first team.

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None of this comes as a shock to either his current coach or his former coach.

"At Regis, we try and recruit the best student-athletes and Garrett is the whole package. He is a fantastic student and he does great academically," said McCall, who has known the Seitz family since Garrett, "was a little tike. He's a dream to have and he's a hell of a player."

Turning back the clock to the 2007 Class 4A state championship run made by the Eagles, Broomfield coach Jim Davidson credits Seitz with one of the more memorable moments in the program's history.

"The best memory I have is Garrett scoring a magical goal in the semifinals against Liberty in overtime that propelled us into the final," said Davidson, who had Seitz as a captain both his junior and senior seasons. "We won the state championship that year and obviously that was big moment for our program and a huge moment for him."

Said Seitz of his high school coach: "I think Jim is really good at getting gets prepped and ready for that next level. He's a really good guy and he knows what he's doing."

Seitz and the Rangers, who were in the same position last season in the playoffs only to bow out early, will have a chance to host the school's first ever playoff game on Thursday against the winner between the Midwestern St. (Texas) and Colorado Mines. The 6-foot, 175-pound Seitz has been an anchor in the back for the Rangers and is eager to improve on last year's early playoff exit.

Broomfield graduate Garrett Seitz will make his third appearance in the NCAA Division II postseason later this week with Regis University.
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"We are flying right now. And given the region we are in with the RMAC schools and the Texas schools, it's just amazing to make the tournament once in your career and I've been lucky enough that this is my third trip to the NCAA's," Seitz said. "We are just trying to keep ourselves grounded and make sure we don't get too content or anything, we still have a job to do. I think we can learn a lot from last year, because it is very much a similar situation and we kind of choked. Right now, everybody is kind of buzzing."

With four more games to go in his collegiate career, Seitz has his eyes on the future as well. After earning his degree, he plans to take a year off before heading back to medical school. During his break he plans to work as a paramedic.

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